The Black Prince
by BadAtBeingGood
Summary: Zutara MAU. One of the most skilled assasin of the Fire Nation Secret Service has been sent after them, Katara sacrifices herself. Katara has to play with fire to return to her friend and brother, but what if the enigmatic banished prince influences her decisions? Rated T for mentions of child abusation, language and maybe mention of *ahem*
1. Chapter 1

So, first fic. I just had this idea and I'm an huge ATLA fan so...why not?

I don't own Avatar the last airbender, if I did it would be an huge Zutara lemon.

Tired.

That's how my body felt.

We walked no stop for hours, trying to get through the forest without getting caught by the Fire Nation Patrols, that guarded the area like hawks.

It was necessary, but five hours were harsh.

So, saw the fact that I was feeling dizzy and my body was completely sore, I pratically jumped in the abandoned house. My brother Sokka and our friend Aang, the Avatar, sat heavily on the floor. I throwed myself on a wooden chair while my two companions planned on what to do

"Well, seen that doing something like this is not just dangerous, but left us almost tired to death, I think we shoukd search a village near the mountains, where there is less Fire Nation's control, so we can buy food and maybe take some nice ostrich-horses." My brother spook while empting his bag, he got our approval nods as respons

"I agree, but we barely have enough money for supplies, so ostrich-horses can wait, why don't we just sleep over it?" Aang smiled, and laid on one of the coats that we bought in the last village.

Sokka nodded "Whatever you say Aang, let's just hope to find some meat in the next village." We just rolled our eyes.

I searched the house for something useful, coats, supplies or weaponry, but found nothing. I laid the bag and started to put the thing inside of it out, to use it as a pillow.

A pen, bandages, an half-working mobile-phone and a pouch of water. Those all were my proprerty.

I fell asleep not too much later.

This little family, me Sokka and Aang, were travelling through the Earth Kingdom to arrive to Ba Sing Se, the capital and most big and famous city of the world. This would have been easy, if the Fire Nation didn't achieve all the territories we needed to travel across to go to the capital, or better if it wasn't after Aang, or better if the Fire Nation didn't start a war.

All those dreams-toughts were interrupted by a ringtone.

I looked up from my 'pillow' startled; the phone never rang. We usually used it to send messages, call allies and receive instructions. But it never rang. I took it in my hands, whoever was calling us was using a private number.

It was such a rare event that Sokka and Aang burst into the room, my brother grabbed the phone from my hands before I could protest and answered it.

"Hello?" My brother tried

"Good evening. You have two hours to surrender, give us the Avatar, and nothing is going to happen." a female voice said. I looked in alarm at Aang, he runned back in the other room, probrably packing.

"No, we won't! Leave us alone!" He was going to hang up when the voice came again, just more cruelly

"One of the assassins of the F.N.S.S has been sent after you." and with that the line went blank.

I looked up at Sokka, who sent a glare at the phone before handing it back to me "We need to go now. The Fire Nation Secret Services has the best assassin of the world, we need to! move" His cerulan eyes were wide with fear and alarm, I nodded and took our things.

We explained the situation to Aang, who was the first ready to go, he shook his tatooed head in despair, before running in the forest, me and Sokka behind him.

We were half an hour in our 'escape' when a loud BANG was heard. We turned around, and that's when I saw it, a dark silhouette in the trees was holding something in the air, a fucile probrably. The figure was tall and broad, and when the cloud that covered the sun left, I could make out the appareance of the shadow.

It was a boy, a man. He must have been eighteen or nineteen. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, with a strong jaw, long gold eyes, thin lips, high cheeck bones and an aristocratic nose. He was dressed in a black tight leather jacket, black leather knickerbockers and black boots. He had a belt, with two containers hanging on it, one for the gun, the other one for a sword. His dark hair were in a topknot, held by a red elastic. His pale hand put the fucile back in his place, he then opened his mouth

"Surrend Avatar, or I have no other choice but to capture you, the last waterbender of the Souther Water Tribe, and kill your other allie." His raspy voice said in a calm tone, his gold irises never left Aang's grey ones. The airbeder narrowed his eyes and got in a fighting stance

"We won't surrender!" I opened my water pouch, the water came out and went on my hands, my brother took out his sword.

Before I could stop him my Sokka charged for the assasin, he roared and striked, his weapon directed to the man's heart. The older warrior didn't even flinch, and it took one second for him to respond, he took out his sword, or better, his swords, and with the left one he blocked my brother assault, he was going to stick Sokka in the stomach if my brother didn't jump in the other direction. He growled before jumping on the assasin's left, he held his sword with both hands as he striked for the opponoment ribs. The male turned around and with one swift motion made one of his sword went under Sokka's own, he raised it, making Sokka stand with both arms in air, his body defensless.

He was going to kill him,a fatal blown in the chest and I would have lose another member of my family.

Aang was faster.

He sent an air mass on the two, Sokka flied in a tree while the killer landed on his feet, he looked up and his gaze become angered. He putted the swords back in place, and looked at me.

I realized what he was doing too late.

He folded his arm back, and a second later an orange fireball was sent at me. I deflected it easily and created two ice daggers to send at the assasin, who saw my move and smirked, his expression said 'Know you were gonna do that'.

I was going to throw the daggers at him and Aang was going to send him flying against a tree after that but we all stopped when the male grabbed Sokka, took one of his sword and held it tighter to the boy's neck.

We froze. His thin lips were in a straight line, the message was clear, move and he dies.

I glared at him "Realase him!" I cried, and he saw how I was attached to Sokka. He held his other sword up

"No!" But the lethal blown never came, instead he made my brother black out by hitting him with the handle. Sokka's eyes rolled back but he was alive

"What do you want?" Aang's young voice echoed trough the trees, the firebender let Sokka fell on the floor, he then patted his jacket, cleaning it. His gold eyes scanned us, I could imagine what was going through his head. If as he said he wanted both me and Aang he knew that right now taking both of us was impossible.

"Avatar, if you will surrend and follow me without creating problems I will do no harm to your friend." He pinched Sokka's head with his black boot.

I tought fast, I needed to convince him "Oh please, it's not like you could handle him if you take him." I tried in a calm tone.

He seemed to think about it, and suddendly his eyes met mine "Well, you will come with me without creating problems." Aang did a pass forward "No!" and the sword went back to Sokka's neck, making the airbender froze in place

I looked to my brother, then back to Aang "No, Aang, is okey. Just wait for Sokka to wake up and then go, go away. Don't search for me." I knew that if not Aang, Sokka would go after me.

The young boy shook his head "No Katara y-" He was interrupted by the assasin, who throwed a pair of handcuffs at Aang's feet

"Put them onto 'Katara'." He nodded esitantly and murmured an 'I'm sorry' as he cuffed my hands behind my back. The firebender nodded "Come here, slowy." I did as he said, and he turned me and placed one of his creamy hand between mine, I would have been surprised by his warm skin, but I could only feel fear and anger right now.

He throwed something on the ground, a little ball. When it hitted the ground smoke came out, and I was running, being pushed by him. I was hoped up into a saddle, and was surprised to find that it was an ostrich-horse. I was with my middle on the brown saddle as the firebender made the animal run.

I just glared at his back for all the ride, the ostrich-horse slowed down after an hour or so, and he finally glanced at me. He pushed a strand of black hair back, his long pianist hand running along his aristochratic features. The ring of his middle finger had a black flying phoenix on it.

I heard the sound of the city before I came into it, the Earth Kingdom green colors were replaced by red, the city was under the Fire Nation control. I refused to meet the people's glances and so I stared at the ostrich-horse black's fur. The animal stopped and I was put down and pushed in what seemed like an hotel. My captor went to the reseption

"A room for one night." The man had grey hair and brown, light eyes; he studied my captor, then me "Do you have a document, young man?" the younger boy nodded and searched his leather pocket, he put a red portfoil on the wooden counter. The man looked at the document, returned it and passed a magnetic card to the boy "I hope you will enjoy your room Sir."

My captor nodded and we took the elevator. While I was in there I planned for how to escape. He would chain me somewhere, so I would need to ask for a bath, I needed it anyway, and use the water to froze him somewhere and escape.

The room was luxurious, with a large bed and a big bathroom. He glanced at me "I won't tied you anywhere like this." I looked down at myself, my clothes were dirty and wet at some point. I held back a smirk, I know where this was going.

"Don't even think about it waterbender. I'm going to bath you." this time I could't help back the frown "W-what?! No!" I tried to struggle but he held me by the wrist, he glared at me "Just stay in your underwrappings, I'm not going to do anything not honorable." like that made me feel better. I glared at him "I'm not gonna do that." I felt pressure on my lower stomach, and of course his gun was pressed against it "Are you sure?" his voice was low and dangerous.

I felt tears in the back of my eyes but fought them back "Unchain me." he raised one of his dark long eyebrows "I'm not going to be undressed by you." his gold gaze didn't betray any emotions "Turn around." he simply said, I obbeyed and felt his warm hands unlock the chains 'If you try anything waterbender I-"

"Katara. My name is Katara." I stated, he turned around politely, if he heard my statement he didn't seem to care. I looked around the room, the only water sourch was in the bathroom. Damn.

He turned around and nodded, chaining my hands again. He had pulled the jacket off, a red tunic now wrapped around his toned body.

We went in the bathroom and he segnaled me to enter the bathtub, I did as he said and hot water started pouring over my back. I tensed as he opened the soap, spreading it over his large hands. He ignored my stiff and cleaned me, I expected him to be rough, but his fingers were soft. I glared at him during all the bath, especially when he washed my legs. I felt so naked, so exsposed, what would my father say? He washed the soap away and nodded in approval at himself "I asked for some clothes, you will have them tomorrow, for this night you can sleep like this." I looked up meeting his golden gazes "Where are you taking me?" He simply held a towel for me "It's a reserved information."

I glared at him "What's your name?" there was a moment of silence, and I tought that he didn't hear me, but the raspy voice came again "It's a reserved information."

I wanted to snort, but I just glared at his broad shoulders as he took me in the bedroom "You know my name." he took off his tunic, helding it over his head "I didn't ask for it." he stated, he laid the shirt on a couch, I nearly gasped at the sight of his chest and abs, but returned to narrow my eyes "Well you w-" he rolled his eyes "Oh for Agni's sake, my name is Zuko."

I nodded, quite surprised by the response. He took me to the bed, my arms locked to it's right bars, same story for the legs. I frowned at the ceiling, as he came in bed just in black boxers, his hair were now free off the elastic, the shaggy black mass covering his forehead.

I glanced at him when he covered me with the red cloat, I didn't thank him obviously. But he wasn't expecting it probrably. His chest didn't move, as if he wasn't breathing, he too was looking at the cealing.

"What is going to happen to me?" It was more like I wanted him to answer me as it was an order, but of course, I was nobody in that situation

"It's a reserved information."

"Fuck you Zuko"

What do you guys think? Let me now with a review! *Innocent smile*

HAPPY ZUTARA MONTH! C:

No, Zuko has no scar because in a modern world would be weird, and I don't think that somebody could survive something like that. Banishment is enough anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

**H-H-How's going Zutarians? Mah name is BaaadAtBeingGood, and welcome to-Oh screw this! I cannot nail Pewds! Need something more formal...**  
><strong>Hello, BadAtBeingGood here! Sup? Welcome back to the few followers I got with my first chapter, and welcome to the ones that I hope will join The Black Prince! ( Battle of the ships got on me)<strong>

Annoying.  
>That was what the peasant totally was.<br>She kept me up to 3 a.m struggling and groaning. I needed to sleep, so I turned and glared at her, she held my gaze for something that must have been like thirty minutes, before she broke eye contact and sighed, she laid completely on the luxurious bed and finally went silent. I turned to face the other side of the room, after nodding my satisfaction.  
>I hated my sister so much.<br>I could have captured the hippi kid in a blink of an eye, and she knew that, so she convinced father to direct me in another diection, that b- Language Zuko; I heard the now and far voice of mother. I groaned, clenching my fist under the coats as I remembered what Azula said  
>"I don't think you should let him do this, he's gonna fail again, that's just so Zuko like. Just let the Avatar think that Zuzu wants to get him, then he can fool him pretending his too weak to do it, kinda true, and take one of his allies, I think he can handle the waterbender. Zuko would just need to take her to Ba Sing Se, it will be our in a month or so, the airbender will of course follow him, or at least, he won't suspect to be followed by me."<br>Stupid freak.  
>My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of metal, I glanced over my shoulder to see the waterbender still asleep, but moving her arms like she was possessed. That continued for five minutes.<br>I've had enough.  
>I freed the chains on her hands, she just brought her tiny fist to her chest, still asleep. Of course I would wake up earlier than her, I raised with the sun. There was no chance she would wake up before me.<p>

I always woke up when the fucking sun raised.

When I woke up I'm surprised to find out that the chains on my hands were gone. I glanced at my left, holding my breath, but I just found the firebender, that seemed asleep. Had no time to find out if he was or not.  
>My feet were chained, what could I do? I glanced around, and saw a vase of flowers, bingo. Why didn't I notice them yesterday? I didn't care. I just wanted to get out from there. I silently bended the water from the vase to my feet, and freezed the chains. I prayed to all the spirits that he would't wake up as I broke the eyes with a swift move. I was terrified as I saw him stirr, but not open his eyes.<br>I grabbed the clothes from the little table that held the Tv and walked toward the door, it was locked. Not a problem. I just needed water.  
>I went to the bathroom and opened the label, put some water in my pouch and runned out, ready to do the early job with the chains all over again. That was before I was smashed into the door.<br>The firebender, that had somehow managed to wake up, was now staring at me with a wild expression. He held my hands over my head, as I struggled  
>"Let go of me!"<br>"I don't think so waterbender. You shouldn't have done that, you don't want me to get angry right? I can really be bad." His cold expression from yesterday was replaced by a mad one, he seemed really upset. I realized thaf the warmth of my wrists was becoming too much, and struggled to get free. The heat just became heager.  
>"Stop it!" I glared at him, the golden irises still held my gaze, just as this night. But my wrist were starting to burn really bad.<br>"Please! Stop it, you're hurting me!" I cried out this time, his eyes widened for a second, before getting cold again. The heat disappared and he took his hands off from me. My wrists were red, and they hurted, but there would be no scar left.  
>I looked up and glared at him, but in no time he chained my wrists all over again "I told you not to try."<br>That was it.  
>I spit in his face, hitting him right under his right eye "Why you..." He folded his arm again; a slap? A fireball? What was he going to hit me with? But the hit never came. There was a knock on the door and a female voice was heard half-screaming to us<br>"The clothes you requested are here Sir"  
>He glared at me, pushing me aside as he opened the door "Thank you ma'am" he said. He throwed a blue top with jeans and white shoes at me "Wear those. We're gonna go in twenty minutes." I glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, he seemed confused for a moment "Oh right..."<br>He blocked my legs "What in the Spirits name are you doing?!" He didn't respond, I stopped struggling as he putted the jeans on, shivering as his hands nudged casually my hips. When me and the firebender were both ready to our "journey" we just went away, for another stupid day on his stupid black ostrich-horse.  
>I wonder where are Aang and Sokka, I wonder where the hell we are going, I wonder what I have left to live.<br>Those thoughts were interrupted by a groan, I looked up to see one of the arm of my captor holding his temple. He stopped the horse and launched himself on the fresh grass; I eyed him suspiciously, as he searched almost madly in the bag at the end of the saddle "Agnidamn it" he mumbled.  
>He took what seemed like a little metal tube, opened it and took off some cir-pills. He was taking pills, he seemed to need them.<br>Something to use against him in the future.  
>He sighed, pulling another tube out from the pack, this time a longer one, a map.<br>He analized it, after what seemed like ages he looked around, scanning the surroundings, a smirk apparead on his handsome features as he was watching to our right "Jackpot."  
>I saw the cave just when we were pratically five meters from it, but with the trees and the fog it wasn't easy!<br>He stretched himself and brought me from the saddle and posing me, really gently surprisingly, against the wall. He tied the ostrich-horse and made a firepit in the cave, I used the opportunity to look up at him.  
>He seemed strange, different. The boy, the man I didn't know how to call him, that I met yesterday seemed surprisily calm and cold. Today instead he was raged and annoyed, but that was better for me. If you're upset you can't think properly all the time.<br>"How old are you?" Just to annoy him; he didn't respond.  
>"Hello?" Still no respons, I narrowed my eyes at him before an idea came over my mind, just the perfect plan to make him even grumpyer<br>"Fire Nation people are really the worst, it was true when they said they're all annoying and grumpy. I also heard that the women are mostly whores, heard stories like that about nobles, the Fire Lady too."  
>Crack.<br>The air changed completely, he looked up at me, his fist clenching together so tight that if he had long nails he would have stick himself. Just when I met his eyes I knew the mistake I made, again. They were full of rage, and hate, the ones of an animal when you're about to kill him. He's so fast that just when his hand is around my troath, with my back pressed hard against it that I notice he moved  
>"You open your mouth again, I swear I'm gonna brake it." I tried not to look terrified, but I really was<br>"Cause you don't fucking know anything! Don't you dare! Speaking about my country like that? Offending the women of my country, offending my mother? How do you fucking dare peasant!"  
>But I didn't hear the last part. Did he say...mother? He was reffering to the Fire Nation's ladyes, not the Fire Lady, right? But then something clicked in her. The skills, the features, the gooden eyes, those were the simble of royalty, the simble of the descendents of the fire god Agni himself.<br>He seemed to realize his mistake because his eyes widened for a second, and the grip of my troath became tighter "Understand?"  
>I nodded, and I hit the floor as he let me go, I rub my troath, that was close.<p>

**Short chapter. The line "If you open your mouth again' I swear I'm gonna break it" was inspired by the song Right Nown by Korn; if you want to hear it out, watch it with the lyrics, don't watch the video for any reasons.**  
><strong>Really don't.<strong>  
><strong>Don't. <strong>  
><strong>Grumpy Zuko? Oh no so OOC<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, BadAtBeingGood here! Here for the weekly update, but I don't know for how long this will last...anyway: STORY...**

The night passed quietly, the alarm for the earlier aggression calmed. He woke me up at dawn, and I noticed that almost all of his rage was gone. Good for me.

I felt guilty anyway, the words I spoke yesterday were rather mean, even if it was the enemy nation I was talking about. But he was right, insulting the Fire Nation's women wasn't polite, mostly because it wasn't them who started the war. The Fire Lord was, he was the enemy, and all the people that followed his crazy orders were.

I turned to him, my hands were in my lap "Hey Z-Zuko I wanted to say sorry for...you know, yesterday" he glanced at me, his expression was surprised, but not as surprised as mine when he quietly stated "It doesn't matter." he jad just tied the topknot on his head. I turned around, suddendly remembering the position I was in.

He didn't seem to notice, or care, so he just dragged me to the horse for the third time in three days.

But our journey didn't last long.

In the middle of two hours on the ostrich-horse's back, the firebender stopped. He looked around suspiciously, his golden irises narrowing, was there something wrong?

He saw the knife just in time to avoid it.

He swore under his breath before grabbing his fucile "Stay still." he said to me, pointing the weapon in what seemed a totally random direction to me.

A few seconds later a war cry was heard, and a skinny boy with dark skin charged at the firebender, he must have been around sixteen.

He did three meters of run before a bullet was shot right in his head, I turned horrified to Zuko, that was charging the weapon. He held it up again, but this time three big men apperead, the second looked at the lifeless body, his expression turned in complet rage "You bitch!" he held up a gun, while the other two runned to the firebender, who throwed the fucile on the ground, grabbing his swords instead. The first man, a big one, took old of the pale man wrist, but he lost old quickly as the sharp blade made contact with his lower arm. The man screamed in pain, as the other one sneaked behind the firebender, failing the first time, when Zuko sent a fireball for his head, but succeding the second time.

The world froze, the second man was pointing the gun at Zuko's head, and he sent two bullet in the same direction, yellow eyes widened, before narrowing.

The firebender turned with a swift move, one of the bullet missed his head, the second hit the other man's.

It hapenned in barely two seconds, but in that little time I was free. The bullet hit the chains. I glanced at the now two fighting figures, the firebender charged the man, that shot one last time, this time hitting his target.

Zuko grunted as the bullet passed trough his stomach, but he quickly jumped on the man and slew him. He lost old of the swords as he blacked out, he was losing a lot of blood, without medical attention he would have died. I glanced at the bloody ground with disgust, and took hold of the ostrich-horse reins, ready to jump on it and go away. But then I turned, stupid me, I turned and looked at Zuko form. My mother words were right in my ears

"Never turn your back on people who needs you Katara."

I growled, I know that was a stupid decision. With no other words I took my ex captor to the nearest water sourch, and started to heal him.

It took half an hour of healing before his wound was ok, but he still needed more healing sessions to be completely fine. I took this occasion to disarm him, and chain him with a pair of shackles I found in his bag. I searched his jacket, and I felt something sharp in thee area around his chest, I opened the pocket and took the knife in my hands, it seemed more like a decoration that a weapon, the handle was in nacre, the script on it was ancient Earth Kingdom language:

永

不

放

棄

不

戰

而

降

I was so concentrated that I didn't notice the pale hands going toward mines, so I stiffned and let out a shriek when the long fingers braced my palm

"Don't touch it.." he said in a low voice, his yellow orbs almost closed

"No, now you're gonna listen to me, your my prisoner, I want inf-"

But he interrupted me

"Why?" he simply asked, leaving me confused

"Why did you save me?" He asked again

"I will never turn my back on people who needs me." I stated, and he locked eyes with me, before glaring

"Release me if you know what's good for you." I glared back, and took hold of his right arm

"Listen here, Zuko, now you do what I say!" He raised one of his eyebrows

"Or what?" He asked with an hint of amusement mixed with the rage

"Or I'm gonna give you to the nearest Earth Kingdom city, and we all know what they do to firebenders like you."

His eyes were calm, but his adam's apple betrayed him. He glanced at his chained hands before looking up at me again

"What do you want?"

I narrowed my eyes, trying to look scary, I held the knife close to his neck "Why were you after us, who sent you, and who you really are?"

He broke eye contact with me, watching the trees that covered the sky instead, that got me angry.

I pushed the knife closer to his neck, maybe too close, because he released a cry of pain, and I felt immediately guilty

"Oh Spirits, I'm so s-" just then I realized he was chuckling.

He was laughing

"Really paesant, you don't really look like a torturer."

My eyes narrowed again, this time I opened his jacket, ripping the black shirt off, hearning a grunt from the firebender, I pressed the knife against his abs

"I wouldn't play with the enemy, now tell me the information I need!"

He licked his lips, why is he so damn charming? Stupid Fire Nation boys.

"I won't tell you anything, just do as you said, give me to some Earth Kingdom village, they will kill me, you won't stain your hands."

I bit on my lower lip, I could do it, leave him to his death. A lot of people died in this war, he would be just one of the thousands. But even if I wouldn't have been the killer, I would have sent him to his death

"H-how old are you?" I asked him

His expression didn't change "Why? Are you going to use it against me too?"

"Just tell me already!" damn, he was obnoxious

"I'm nineteen" He scoffed

Nineteen. An assasin. He was nineteen.

He was just two years older than me and he was a skilled assasin, that killed without a blink of an eye.

I couldn't bring myself to kill him, neither to send him to die

"Answer my questions." He snorted, spiritsdamn him.

"I'm bad, a bad person, another bad person."

I narrowed my eyes, this time while the right hand grabbed the knife, that was again at his neck, the left took hold of his shoulder, as I turned him on his stomach.

He grunted, and I sat on him, that's when I noticed it.

There was a tattoo the size of a fist near the right scapula, a raising phoenix danced in black ink.

That was the simble of the royal family, the Fire Lord.

"Who are you?"

He turned his head from the grass, his eyes were cold, he knew why I asked again, and he knew that lying wouldn't work this time

"My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai, prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the trhone."

I was stuck.

His eyes didn't leave mine, he was waiting for a reaction, or probrably in this case, to get killed.

But instead, I simply said

"I have to do a call."

**Okey, see ya guys next chapter! R&R Please! :P**


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